"Government capping means less police on the beat" Mike Simpson

10.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 20th May 2009

Mike Simpson, The Liberal Democrats new Parliamentary candidate for South West Surrey believes that the government's decision to cap the Surrey Police Authority (SPA) will benefit no-one. If it goes ahead, the decision, which is subject to the approval of Parliament and which the Authority is proposing to challenge by means of a judicial review, will mean that the Authority will have to return £1.6m to council taxpayers but will incur further costs of £1.2m in so doing.

£1.6m amounts to approximately £3 for each council taxpayer. In order to refund this, every Borough Council in Surrey will have to issue revised council tax demands to every one of its tax payers. This will cost £1.2 million. Councils will no doubt pass this bill onto the Police Authority which will then be facing a combined budget deficit of £2.8m. To meet this deficit, the Authority will be forced to make further cuts, including cuts to front line services.

"Liberal Democrats believe that most people want to see more police on the beat, not fewer. Will they really be grateful to this Labour Government for a £3 council tax rebate if it means cuts in our already over-stretched police service? I don't think so", said Mike Simpson